Jeff Keaton
Jeff Keaton (April, 1960, born in Trenton, New Jersey is an American professional wrestler who has been in major promotions like the NWA, WCW, WWF/E and ECW. He is a 16 time World Heavyweight Champion (three-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, three-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion and a ten-time time WWF Champion). Keaton started his career in the NWA's Jim Crockett Promotions in the Mid-Atlantic region in 1983. He has retired from professional wrestling but he manages his son, Jack Keaton, who is in the WWE. He was inducted into the NWA Hall of Fame in 2009 along with his good friend Ric Flair. Professional wrestling career National Wrestling Alliance (1983-1986) Keaton started off his wrestling career in Jim Crockett Promotions Mid-Atlantic region. He was asked to have a cowboy gimmick but he refused. He instead requested to be put in a tag team with Arn Anderson. The team only lasted a month though. Keaton's first feud in the business was with Harley Race for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. The feud ended in November, 1983 in a steel cage match which Harley Race won. In January, 1984, Keaton signed with Georgia Championship Wrestling which was also a member of the NWA. He won the NWA Georgia Television Championship and held it until WWF owner unexpectedly bought Georgia Championship Wrestling. In August, 1984, Keaton returned to Jim Crockett Promotions in the Mid-Atlantic region. In 1985, Keaton won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship three times and the NWA United States Championship once. In January, 1985, Keaton got fired for starting a physical confrontation with Arn Anderson. World Championship Wrestling (1986-1990) In November, 1986, Keaton joined Jim Crockett's, WCW as a villian. In 1987, Keaton won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship until he lost it to Barry Windham in April, 1987. Keaton once again won the title two weeks later. Although, Ric Flair won the title off of Keaton in October. As the 1980s drew to a close, Jim Crockett Promotions (the main NWA territory) made a failed bid to go national and almost filed for bankruptcy in an attempt to compete with the WWF. Ted Turner purchased the company, because it was a high rated program on his WTBS cable station. Completing the deal in November 1988, Turner began changing the company to his World Championship Wrestling (WCW) vision. WCW stayed in the NWA, but Turner slowly phased out the NWA name. Soon, Keaton left the WCW. All Japan Pro Wrestling (1990) In September, 1990, Keaton joined Japanese wrestling promotion, All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW). Keaton's first and only feud in the business was with AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion, Mitsuharu Misawa. The feud ended in November with Misawa retaining his title. Keaton then took a break from wrestling for family purposes. In December, he decided not to go back to Japan and quit with the AJPW. World Wrestling Federation (1991-1995) By January, 1991, Keaton was one of the best known wrestlers. He decided to join Vince McMahon's, WWF. He made his television debut at the Royal Rumble 1991. He was the 18th man in the ring and was the 26th man eliminated. He then formed a team with Hulk Hogan and became a fan favourite after being a villian for four years. The team won the WWF World Tag Team Championship twice. The team soon faded away and in August, was disbanded. In February, 1992, Keaton won the WWF Intercontinental Championship. He lost it to Bret Hart in April and then won the WWF Championship off Randy Savage in the same month. He then had a feud with Randy Savage that lasted until July. Keaton held the title until he lost it to Hulk Hogan in August. The next week he destroyed the debuting, Danny Rich which began an undefeated streak. Soon, Keaton changed his name to Jeff '"The Bruiser" Keaton which he has used ever since. In September, Keaton won the WWF Championship off of Hulk Hogan and soon turned into a villian once again. Keaton held the title until The British Bulldog ended his undefeated streak which lasted two years in a title match. Keaton then got into a feud with The British Bulldog and won the WWF Championship but soon lost it again. In March he left due to a fallout with Vince McMahon. World Championship Wrestling (1995-1996) Keaton returned to the WCW in April, 1995. Keaton made his return attacking Harlem Heat which made him a fan favourite for the first time in WCW. He had a feud with Harlem Heat member Booker T. In August, 1995, Keaton won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship twice when he feuded with Hulk Hogan. In October, Keaton became a villian again. Later, The Giant won the title off him but Keaton won it again and lost it in December. Keaton soon started to phase out of the World Heavyweight Title picture and became a midcarder fighting for a #1 Contenders shot at the World Television Championship. Soon, Keaton was a small figure in the WCW and he took a break from wrestling. He returned in July, 1996 and suprisingly was a main-eventer again. He then had a feud with Sting and it ended at WCW Hog Wild in a Loser Leaves WCW match which he lost. World Wrestling Federation (1996-1997) Keaton once again joined the WWF in October, 1996. He made his return as a villian who hates everyone especially wrestlers who were fan favourites. Everytime before a match or during in-ring promos he would say to the crowd "First of all, you assholes can lose some weight and SHUT THE HELL UP!". He sometimes would make the crowd throw drinks, food and junk at him. In November, 1996, Keaton joined the newly formed, Nation of Domination but still went along with his gimmick where he hated everyone. He would never be seen in tag team matches with them or in promos and never came out with the Nation of Domination theme song or with the members themselves. He then won the WWF Championship off Sycho Sid in December and held it until January, 1997. He stayed with the Nation of Domination and had a feud with leader, Faarooq because Faarooq thought he was trying to steal his spotlight. In July, 1997, Keaton was officially kicked out of the team when Faarooq 'fired' him from the Nation of Domination when Faarooq promised to deliver a "bigger and blacker" Nation. In September, 1997, Keaton then joined D-Generation X. He won the WWF Championship off of Bret Hart but lost it the next month. In December, Keaton left the WWF for ECW. Extreme Championship Wrestling (1998) Keaton made his debut for ECW in February, 1998 as a fan favourite against Tommy Dreamer and he won. In April, Keaton had a chance at the ECW World Heavyweight Championship but lost the match. He then had a big feud with The Sandman that lasted until Keaton left ECW to return to the WWF. World Wrestling Federation (1998-present) In 1998, Keaton returned to the WWF as a villian after claiming that D-Generation X drove him out of the business. He had a feud with Triple H and won the WWF Intercontinental Championship in November, 1998. In Wrestling Finishing Moves Keaton's Edge / Bruiser's Edge (Renamed that after getting the nickname The Bruiser) (Spear) Sharpshooter Signature Moves Elbow Drop Russian Leg Drop Knife-edged chop Roll Up Clothesline Leg drop German suplex Body Slam Managers Rick Rude Nicknames "The Legendary Enforcer" "The Bruiser" Wrestling Themes "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor (NWA / WCW / AJPW / WWE; 1983-1990, 1995-1996, 2008-present) "Eye of the Tiger" (Instrumental) by Survivor (WWF/E; 1991-1995, 1996-1997, 1998) "Break It Down" by the Chris Warren Band (WWF; Used while part of D-Generation X; 1997, 1998-1999) "Back in Black" by AC/DC (ECW) "Are You Ready" by The Chris Warren Band (WWF; Used while part of D-Generation X; 1999) Keaton also used the instrumental of Enter Sandman by Metallica and he added on a dog barking sound effect at the beginning (WWF; 1999-2008)